Over 3 million people trust Angie's List to help make the right choice

Be informed to avoid costly mistakes

Shop with us to ensure a fair price

Our complaint resolution team will help if a project goes bad

+See Verified Local Reviews

Over 367 reviews forConyers Structural Engineers from people just like you.

A

"Mr.

did an excellent job. He listened to my information and concerns and then performed an excellent, thorough evaluation. He took time to" ...More completely evaluate our home's foundation and was more than willing to answer any questions while he worked. He was not just interested in "getting in and out quickly". He took his time and did an outstanding job that gave me the information I needed in ordered to begin the bidding process for the needed repairs.

Seig carries my highest recommendation.

-Harold S.

A

"I initially saw some cracks in the wallboard of my laundry room. This is an exterior wall on my home so I went outside and sure enough I saw cracks in the mortar" ...More and bricks that matched the cracks on the inside of the house. I contacted 3 companies to inspect my foundation and make suggestions for needed repairs. Their estimates and methods ranged from $10000 to over $30000 and each suggested a different solution. I decided to hire

& Associates to get a recommendation from an independent party.

arrived right on time and got to work examining inside the house, outside the house and inside the crawl space. He was here roughly an hour and gave me some information while he was here and indicated that I would receive a full written report within 24 hours.
I received his detail report this morning and am extremely pleased with the completeness of it. He suggested that the ROOT CAUSE of my problem was excessive water around the foundation which allowed the soil that the foundation rests on to move and this movement caused the cracks I had seen. His suggestion for a first step was to install proper drainage and see if that by itself is sufficient to address the issue. His report did cover some of the steps that the original 3 people suggested as possible next steps but stated that the issues with the foundation are currently not severe or life-threatening and I can wait to see if the significantly cheaper drain tile installation is sufficient.
I highly recommend that anyone receiving expensive quotes for foundation repairs contact

Your home's ability to withstand the forces of nature and gravity depend on good structural engineering. Building room additions, correcting foundations and repairing structural damage are all projects that call for a structural engineer's expertise.

Angie's Answers

This can be maddening. Over the past 40+ years, in 4 houses, I have had or have run across this problem from gas meter leakage, water well pump column vibration, doorbell transformer, circulating pump, an extremely small (mist spray) water pipe leak, flourescent and sodium lights, security system horn dead battery, gas meter leaking slightly, bees in wall, bat colony, electric typewriter left on, stereo left on very low, and speaker inductive hum.

This seems to be a popular and recurrent question, so I am going to give the long answer for use by future questioners too.

I am assuming you do not hear this noise away from your house, or that other family members can hear it to. Obviously, if you hear it elsewhere also and other family members cannot hear it, then maybe you have tinninitus or are hearing your own high blood pressure blood flow (seriously). This commonly gets more acute at night when it is quiet, so all you are hearing is your internal ear sounds. I had this happen once because of a middle ear blockage - drove me crazy, getting up in the middle of the night because I thought I heard a water leak through the walls. Try putting on a pair of earmuffs or hearing protectors - if you still hear it or hear it louder, this is probably the case.

One method if hum is on the clearly audible side is make a 2 foot long cone out of paper to hold against your ear - like an antique hearing horn - then in each room face each of 4 directions while listening for where sound is the loudest, and turn your head to pinpoint the exact direction - I would spend 10 minutes doing this before getting into detailed stethoscope listening.

Otherwise, sounds like time for the old stethoscope (about $12 at a drug store - get a metal soundhead one, not cheap plastic, which does not pick up vibration as well). Also, if you are older (say over 35 or so) your hearing might have started to deteriorated with age, so if you have children or grandchildren with sharp hearing, they might be able to help track it down. I am sure a young child or grandchild, if you have one, would love this sort of treasure hunt (with appropriate "treasure" for a reward for tracking it down).

Being careful not to come in contact with electricity with the stethoscope, check all the likely sources listed below. Start by placing it against pipes and walls and floor in each room of the house - water sourced noise goes a long ways, and tends to reverberate in the walls, so if that is the source likely to hear pretty easy. Hold stethoscope against bare pipes, both hot and cold, and heating system radiators or hot air vents.

If listening to water and hot water heating pipes indicates it is not water sourced, then you could turn off the master (outside) breaker or all the inside breakers and see if it goes away. I would only do this during above-freezing weather and early on a weekday, just in case a breaker fails to turn back on correctly when you switch it. Older master breakers particularly, which typically have never been used, sometimes break or fail to reclose properly after being shut off, so then have to be replaced. You want to be doing this at a time of day when, if necessary, you could get an electrician in the same day to replace it without paying weekend or nighttime emergency call rates.

If turning off the master breaker (or all other breakers) eliminates the hum, then turn them on one at a time until you find the one that turns the hum back on, then track where that circuit likely feeds (hopefully it is labelled) and check every switch, outlet, and light fixture.

Humming sources include (not in any particular order, a + in front means likely or common source of humming, - means rare or not likely):

1) + toilet fill valve - slightly leaking toilet inlet valve (listen where water tubing comes into toilet tank, and look inside tank to see if there is any water flow into or ripppling of the water in the tank or the bowl, or from the bowl filling tube (usually a small black plastic flexible tube which comes out of the fill valve (usually far left side of tank) and is clipped onto and discharges down into a hollow vertical brass or plastic tube or pipe in the toilet tank, which refills the toilet bowl after you flush)

2) + leaking faucet - kitchen, tub, shower, sink, utility tub, etc - it is amazing how just the smallest valve leak can make a hum or hiss that you can hear through the walls (especially at night), but only drips every few seconds.

3) - electric service meter dial motor

4) - electric breaker panel - rarely, a loose main power feed to a panel (especially with aluminum main service wire) will get loose enough that it vibrates back and forth and hums in its connector. A loose bus or snap-in breaker slot cover plate in the panel can also do this rarely

5) - gas meter or overpressure vent (unlikely, as you have had it replaced)

6) + boiling in the bottom of hot water heater or boiler because of buildup of lime, but would usually be intermittent - only when unit is heating

8) - gas control valve or electric control box on a gas furnace, or its transformer (most have a 120V to 24, 16 or 12V transformer inside the front of the furnace

9) + air filter or electrostatic filter alarm on forced air furnace - some have a passive "whistle" opening that sounds softly when the filter is getting blocked, and if blocked with dust could make a hum rather than a whistle.

10) + Some water softener systems also have an "alarm" device to tell you it is time to service the unit, so check that if you have such a unit.

11) - a slightly leaking overpressure/overtemp valve on hot water heater or furnace (would be dripping)

12) - air venting from the air vents on hot water heating system. These will commonly make a hum or wheeze sound, for only for a few seconds at a time - not continuous unless leaking water

13) - city water system booster pump sound through the water column (if there is one near your home) - listen at the incoming water pipe - if much louder there than at other pipes within the house, that could be a house, though unlikely. If you think this could be it, find your water shutoff valve (typically 10' into your lawn from the street) and listen there. Would also be audible at neighbor's service pipe if that is the source.

14) - gas system compressor sound coming through gas pipe - listen to gas pipe outside the house and inside the house near furnace - if louder outside,, this could be a possible source, but the compressor or pressure reducer would have to be near your house. Would also be audible at neighbor's service pipe if that is the source.

15) + auxiliary booster circulating pump in your hot water or steam heating system (there may be one separate from the furnace, likely in the basement or a utility closet - most commonly found on multi-unit apartment building with central heating and in 3 story or higher buildings, but you never know)

16) + a water leak, either inside or a leaking hose bib or pipe, or in your service pipe coming to the house

17) - electric on-demand water heater or electric-powered water filtration unit under the kitchen sink or inthe basement

18) + refrigerator compressor or fan hum

19) + doorbell transformer (front or back door - transformer is usually NOT at the doorbell, it is usually mounted in an open space like nailed to a basement joist, in an entry closet, or in the cubby space under the stairs - always physically near to the door, but NOT always on the same floor)

20) - any instant-on device like a TV

21) + any audio device (stereo, iPod, music player dock, computer, etc) that may have been left on at very low volume. Also, VERY rarely, if stereo or external speaker wires are run close to and parallel with an electric wire in the wall, they will acquire an inductive voltage and hum.

22) + anything with a transformer, including stereo, add-on computer or iPod speakers, battery charger (rechargeable batteries or spare car battery or rider mower or boat battery charger), any portable electriconic device. Also portable device chargers (computer, iPod, cell phone, etc) - even if the device is not plugged into the transformer, as long as the transformer (charger) if plugged into an outlet, it is transforming high to low voltage, and transformers commonly hum

23) - electric typewriter left running

24) - electric ultrasonic cleaner or denture cleaner or electric toothbrush left on

25) - home hair drying hood left on

26) - a lint buildup-jammed bathroom, kitchen, or attic fan. Many of these have, for safety, so called "self limiting" motors that if they jam just sit there and hum, but do not burn out.

27) - an attic cooling fan whose thermostat has failed, so is on all the time

33) - dishwasher motor runningcontinuously - not shutting down after end of cycle

34) - convective or direct-vent oven or cooktop exhaust fan not shutting off

35) + flourescent (tube or CFL) or sodium or halogen light bulb / ballast hum (either inside, outside front door fixtures, or public street lights). These can hum quite pesistently when the starter circuit sticks on, or the bulb is dying and will not start (light completely), so the started circuit tries continually to start the lamp - can make a hum audible up to a block away on street lights.

36) - a dying electronic photocell designed to turn on your outside lights

37) - home security system, especially its alarm or horn. If the alarm is sounding but for some reason the main power is not getting to it, then as the battery goes dead (or if full voltage is not getting to it) is can give off a squeek, hum, or rasping sound - ditto if insects like wasps or hornets build a nest in it, so it cannot sound correctly.

38) + well pump, pressure tank, or filtration system, if you are on a well

39) + insect or bat nest in the attic or walls or in outside bins or cupboards, electric panel/meter, or outside telephone connection box (bees /wasps / hornets most likely) - though this usually varies by time of day, although it would "pulse" at the time of day when they are waking up or going to sleep.

40) + carpenter ants or termites - their continuous chewing of the wood can sound like a hum till you get right up against the colony, then you can actually hear the chewing

41) - a regional hum, as has been occurring at times in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Arkansas - where micro-seismic activity causes a hum or booming sound. Google or call your local paper and see if anyone has been reporting this in your area.

42) + outdoor power service transformer - either a metal (typically army green or gray) about 1 foot diameter "can" mounted on a power pole if you have overhead service, or a 2-3 foot cubic metal box on the ground or in a manhole pit near the street if you have underground service, which usually serves 4-6 houses (so may be in a neighbor's yard) and will have a voltage rating marked on it, usually in yellow stick-on lettering - like 4160V - 220V. Usually has high voltage - keep away safety markings on it.

43) - you have found where the Caddyshack gopher (who hummed to himself) moved to after Bill Murray blew up his happy home at the golf course.

You are going to be required to have a building permit and the Building Comissioner

or Senior Permit Official of your local permit office will issue a determination as to whether you will be required to have a Steel Bearing Beam , a Laminated Bearing Beam or some other Beam to support weight of the structure you want to ammend . You may also be required to install Bearing support posts footings, at either end of the beam as well. Much will depend as to what is over and under the space that you wish to span .The official may require you to retain an Architectual Engineer to perform a Load study and computations and require you to comply with his recomendations .

Until you know what is required by the Permitting Office , Then and only then will you be able to determine the true costs .

The fact that you have existing baseboard heat , and we know NOT if it is electric or radiant baseboard heat will complicate the issue as well the existing electrical outlets which may need to be sunken into the floor in order to maintain the electrical circuitry as it exists.

Past experience in these matters , indicate possible costs to range from $4000.00 to as much as $8k -$10,000.00 . I realise that these cost ranges are probably NOT what you want or expect , but There are too many unknowns to attempt a closer cost expectation or range of expenses !

Architect first - for around $1000 typically you will get site consultation, a few sketches showing what you said you wanted, and a preliminary (by the book) cost estimate - that you can use to figure if your budget or scope of work needs major adjustment. Then, if you go ahead, typically about 10-20% of total project cost for complete plans and specs (including above cost), depending on complexity and level of interior design detail, and if construction inspection services are included.

Generally, nothing is free with an architect - unlike a contractor where a bit of consultation and a rough estimate is a lead-in to the actual work he hopes to get (the construction/repair) and part of his bidding cost, an architect (and engineer) makes his living giving advice and consultation and developing designs and cost estimates - so giving it away for free is sort of like a dentist doing sample fillings for free. Some will come to your house to discuss your concepts for 15-20 minutes for free, basically to see if they want to take you on as a client or feel your job is the type or size they want, but you should expect little or nothing in the way of a design or cost estimate for free - the most you might get would be an opinion on whether it sounds, off the cuff, like your budget is roughly in line with your desired scope of the project.

On more complex or up-scale remodels, it is not unusual to contact several architecture firms and request proposals - where they basically come see the site, then give you a sketch or few or more common today, computer-generated altered photos of your place, showing conceptually what they can do for you, then you choose the one you like the most and go with that one for final design. Typically $500-1000 range fee (each) to get that done for small jobs, larger jobs will typically be no charge but that assumes probably $25-50,000 plus anticipated fees if they get the job.

Bear in mind in the latter scenario you cannot pick and choose betweenthe best parts of each proposal - the architect owns the design and it is copyrighted, so while you can choose bui9lding elements (dormers, bay windows, etc) from any of the proposals, specific design or color combinations are copyrighted by the proposer.

Here is a link to a recent diagnosis exercise I just went through on another similar question - might be of some interest to you, though that case is likely duct related whereas your I think may be outside -
http://answers.angieslist.com/What-causing-loud-banging-clicking-noise-q141018.aspx
In your case however, and especially with the only on very cold night issue and especially more early in winter, my first, second and probably third guess would be the deck.
Baseboard heating pipes commonly creak, pop, and sometimes squeek as they expand and contract, but unless the pipes are jamming up where they come out of the floor so they make the baseboard radiator "pop", they usually do not "bang" like steam pipes do. And would sound like someone accidentally kicking the baseboard like a minor clang or thump - and typically quite metallic sounding in that case.
The jut out on the house could make the noiseif it is heating and cooling signifiantly, but with constant heat in the house I would doubt it - that noise can occur on occasion due to siding being installed without adequate expansion gaps at the ends of boards or edges of panels. Usually if that is the problem, though, you will get bulging or end-cracking or splitting of the siding oer time. Plus of course the expansion and noise occurs in HOT conditions (usually direct sunlight on hot days), not in the cold of winter.
Deck, especially in early winter as they initially freeze and the moisture content in the boards is typically high, tend to thump quite hard as they freeze - commonly sounds about like someone jumping up high and landing hard on the deck in boots, or maybe like someone hitting the far end of the house with a sledgehammer. Not uncommon to actually feel the thump while in your bed.
What is happening can be one of several things:
1) most commonly, moisture in the boards is freezing causing expansion - till eventually the board(s) pop a nail, or break free of the frost holding them to the support boards. They freeze at the joists first because that is where the free water is and is accessible to the air all around so it freezes hard first, then as hard freezing conditions persist through the night the water in the boards themselves expands, causing the board to eventually break the ice bond - or in extreme cases to push hard enough against the end of the next board to break it free. This commonly happens from a couple to around 4-6 hours after evening hard freeze sets in, so commonly about midnightish as opposed to early evening or early AM, in normal daily temperature fluctuation conditions. This can easily happen to several boards in one night, and if thawing in the daytime, or especially if getting rained on or getting snow meltwater again, can become more frequent for awhile then taper off a few days to a week or so later.
2) decks are basically built as a single unit without specific expansion provision, but are semi-rigidly fastened in place by the piers and commonly rigidly fastened along the house edge - so any expansion or contraction creates stresses in the deck which eventually can get strong enough to cause popping and creaking and thumping noises. Because it is rigidly constructed, the stresses (from moisture or freezing or on large decks even just daily thermal changes) can accumulate fairly well before something releases, so the thump or bang can be quite loud.
3) if your support posts (on decks with outer edge support piers/posts and fastened to the house with a ledger board) are frost heaving, then they lift the deck upwards at the outer edge, which can cause sounds from nails prying out of the house as the ledger board tilts up - or in extreme cases ripping out of lag bolts or joist hangers. Check to be sure your ledger board is not tilting away form the house at the bottom, and that the deck is not tilting up significantly at the outer edge.
4) sometimes the freezing water in the deck boards can cause splitting of the board, which makes a tearing or ripping sound usually, rather than a thump.
5) occasionally, frost heave in the ground under the stairs can lift the stairs, causing tearing or ripping where it is fastened to the deck.
While disturbing, this sort of noise (in moderation) does not normally "damage" a deck, though of course it does cause a general loosening up of fasteners over time, and sometimes snaps deck nails or screws (screws more often because they are generally higher stress steel, so can't yield as much before snapping). Of course, significant frost heaving does need to be taken care of - by solving the cause (footings bearing on/in frost heave susceptible soil) or by releveling the deck periodically if a slow, gradual year-by-year heaving of the foundations.
Measures to take - just visually inspect the deck and alll support posts and connections periodically (every year or two) for broken or loose ones, but generally unless deck board fasteners break, you will not see anything except maybe a few nail heads sticking up. And check it with a level to be sure the outer edge is not lifting up due to frost heaving of the piers, and adjust back level (hopefully you have adjustable piers/posts).

The key is to have drainage away from the house, and not introduce water to the foundation unnecessarily. If you can slope the existing backfill soil from the foundation away from the house at least 1/2 inch to 1 inch in the 2 foot space to the walk and pack it down, then putting a ground cover on it will not hurt - it is the relatively impervious layer sloping away from the house you want.
If you use rocks I would underlay them with some 6 mil or thicker black plastic sheeting (available in small rolls at home supply stores and lumber yards).
If planting, the same would be nice if the plants you choose spread laterally like Epimedium, so they will grow in just a fewe inches of topsoil over the plastic. Otherwise, tamp down the dirt to make it a hard, draining surface (at least when it rains heavily) before topsoiling and planting. Keep a slope on the topsoil too, and avoid overwatering.
Do not plant anythig with highly invasive, tenacious or deep burrowing roots like bushes, ivy, or trees near the house, as the roots will penetrate the waterproof barrier on the outside of the foundation, and then you might start getting leaks. The roots can even penetrate the concrete block joints and start breaking up the foundation. For this reason, annual flowers, shallow-root ground covers, bulb plants and rock gardens are far better within 3 feet or so of the foundation than larger plants or intensive gardening.

Structural Engineering reviews in Conyers

A

Rating

“

I was considering starting a major renovation of my house and wanted to make sure that there were no foundation problems before proceeding. Mr.

(a licensed engineer) was thorough, knowledgable, prompt, and very methodical. He provided me with documentation, including a site plan, after returning to his office to prepare his ...More final report. I was very impressed and pleased with his professionalism.”

- Stephen W.

A

Rating

“

I called Bill after finding him on Angie's List. It just so happens that he came highly recommended from a home inspector that I use as well. (I'm a real estate broker)
During the initial home inspection, the inspector noted that there seemed to be some moisture in the walls of the basement, although no moisture was present in the basement ...More itself. Having never lived in a home with a basement, my clients were concerned that the water had affected the structural integrity of the home and wanted to have it inspected further before moving forward with their purchase.
I called Bill and left him a message. He called back right away and was able to schedule an appointment for that weekend. He arrived at the appointment on time and we went straight down to the basement to check things out. During this inspection he was able to calm my clients fears, informing them that there was in fact water present in the foundation but at this time no structural damage had occurred. He did say that if nothing was done to correct the cause, over time it may become an issue.
He offered a number of solutions to rectify the cause of the water after they purchased the house, many of which would not be costly to my clients.
Bill was very nice and informative. The inspection was a little costly, at $400 or so for about a half an hour of time, and if my clients wanted a written report, the cost would have been $650. That being said, money is not a factor when it comes to peace of mind and Bill is really good at what he does.”

- ASHLEY D.

A

Rating

“

FANTASTIC!

was able to provide a solution to our structural problem, while being responsive and professional. Due to the nature of the real estate transaction, we had to work with urgency.

not only made room on his calendar for us, but he delivered our report 2 days before he promised delivery. I would ...More absolutely recommend him to anyone.”

- Stacy M.

A

Rating

“

Mr.

was punctual, considerate, professional and thorough in his inspection of the property. He provided in a timely fashion a written in depth report of his findings along with recommendations for resolving the issues that were found. I could not have been more pleased.”

- Diana S.

A

Rating

“

from

evaluated several structural issues that came to light during a home inspection on a home we had made an offer. He is very personable and explained his findings in easy

's terms. I had been concerned that an engineer might come up with esoteric solutions but it ...More was just the opposite with

, he is very practical in his approach to the issues and solutions for the concerns we had especially some foundation issues. The irony was that our Realtor who had to be present since the sellers were not home had previously discouraged us from getting an engineer as he said in his experience engineers made

things complicated later told us from the conversations he heard me having with

and what I told him about the inspection "that guy was really good he was laid back and was giving you real life, practical advice."”

- donna L.

A

Rating

“

was prompt, attentive, professional and willing to explain in detail the issues we were facing. His report was thorough. We are happy with his service and will use his services in the future.”

- Diana M.

A

Rating

“

The engineer was extremely knowledgeable. Told me facts about the house that were truly exciting. For example it was built about 70-80 years earlier than listed on the

. He told a story about the brick wall. Every little detail was accounted. The best!”

- MATTHEW B.

A

Rating

“

Luyi from

& Associates is a professional engineer who knows the code and knows the calculations--and best of all, he's not one of those sales people that other companies send out. He had no fancy equipment, just a level, measuring tape and vast knowledge of structures. He was so nice and explained what he was looking ...More for and what he did and didn't find. And best of all, he determined that my house doesn't need repair work, but I would have trusted him if it did. I will recommend